Chapter 8
How to Configure TCP/IP Printing for Unix
Brother print servers are supplied with the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
(TCP/IP) protocol suite. Since virtually all UNIX host computers support TCP/IP, this capability
allows a printer to be shared on a UNIX Ethernet network. Users printing directly to the print
server installed in the FAX/MFC will be able to print at a maximum resolution of 300 x 300 dpi
using a PCL 4 printer driver. However, any Windows clients that spool print jobs through a Unix
server will be able to print at the maximum print resolution of 600 x 600 dpi.
✒ Note
The Linux operating system uses the same setup procedures as standard Berkeley UNIX systems.
However, for a GUI based installation, please refer to the Linux section within this document.
TCP/IP
Brother Print Servers appear to the network as a UNIX host computer with a unique IP address
running the lpd, line printer daemon, protocol. As a result, any host computer that supports the
Berkeley remote LPR command can spool jobs to Brother Print Servers without the need for any
special software on the host computer.
The Brother print server is pre-configured to run on a TCP/IP network with a minimum of setup.
The only mandatory configuration for the print server is the allocation of an IP address and subnet
mask; these parameters can be assigned automatically using DHCP or BOOTP. They can be
manually assigned using the front panel of the FAX/MFC or by using the BRAdmin32 utility
and/or a WWW browser.
✒ Note
For setting the IP address of the print server, refer to the IP address section at the end of this
chapter.
TCP/IP PRINTING FOR UNIX
8–1
IP UNIX Host Configuration
The configuration process for most UNIX systems is described in the following steps.
Unfortunately, this process can vary, so please refer to your system documentation (or man pages)
for additional information.
Step 1: Configuring the “/-etc-/-hosts” File
Configure the /etc/hosts file on each UNIX host that must communicate with the print
server or provide similar information to a nameserver on the network. Use your favorite editor to
add an entry to the /etc/hosts file containing the IP address and node name of the device.
For example:
192.189.207.3
BRF-310107
The actual format of the entry may vary according to your system, so check your system
documentation and also note the format of other entries in the etc/hosts file.
✒ Note
The node name in this file does not necessarily have to be the same as the one that is actually
configured in the Brother print server; however, it is good practice to make the names the same.
In any case, the node name in the /etc/hosts file must match the node name in the
/etc/printcap file.
✒ Note
Some systems such as HP/UX and AIX allow you to enter the IP address as the host name when
you set up the print queue. If this is the case, you will not have to configure the hosts file.
TCP/IP PRINTING FOR UNIX
8–2
Step 2: Configuring the “/-etc-/-printcap” File
✒ Note
This step applies to the majority of UNIX systems, including Sun OS (but not Solaris 2.xx),
Silicon Graphics (lpr/lpd option required), DEC ULTRIX, DEC OSF/1, and Digital UNIX. SCO
UNIX users should follow these steps, but should also refer to the SCO UNIX Configuration
section. Users of RS/6000 AIX, HP/UX, Sun Solaris 2.xx, and other systems that do not use the
printcap file.
Configure the /etc/printcap file on each host computer to specify the local print queue,
the print server name (also called remote machine or rm), and the print server service name (also
called remote printer, remote queue, or rp), and the spool directory.
An example of a typical printcap file:
laser1|Printer on Floor 1:\
:lp=:\
:rm=BRF-310107:\
:rp=BRF-310107:\
:sd=/usr/spool/lpd/laser1:
✒ Note
Make sure this information is added to the end of the printcap file. Also, make sure that the last
character in the printcap file is a colon ":"
This will create a queue named laser1 on the host computer that communicates to a Brother print
server with a node name (rm) of BRF_310107 and a service name (rp) of BRF-310107
(please note that the rp name can be anything).
✒ Note
The rm and rp options are not available on some UNIX systems; so if necessary check your
documentation (or man pages) to determine the equivalent options.
Users of Berkeley-compatible UNIX systems can use the lpc command to obtain the printer status:
%lpc status
laser1:
queuing is enabled
printing is enabled
no entries
no daemon present
Users of AT&T-compatible UNIX systems can generally use the lpstat or rlpstat
commands to obtain similar status information. Because this procedure varies from system to
system, refer to your system documentation for the exact usage.
TCP/IP PRINTING FOR UNIX
8–3
Step 2a: (For SCO UNIX Systems Only)
✒ Note
Skip this section unless you have an SCO UNIX system and have completed Step 2.
If you have an HP/UX system, IBM RS/6000 AIX computer, or Sun Solaris 2.xx, there is no
printcap file. This is also true for some other AT&T-based UNIX systems, as well as many VMSbased TCP/IP software packages (for example, UCX, TGV Multinet, etc.). Such systems generally
use a printer setup program to define the service name (remote printer), the print server name
(remote machine) or IP address, and the local queue name (spool directory).
Linux Configuration
If you do not wish to use the command line interface to configure your Linux distribution, you may
wish to use the Linux Printer System Manager application on your GUI. To do this, do the
following:
1. From the Linux Printer System Manager screen, click the "Add" button.
You will be asked to specify the Printer type you are using.
2. Select the "Remote Unix (lpd) Queue" option and click "OK".
You must now specify the remote host name, remote queue name and the input filter to use.
• The "Remote Host" name is the IP address of the printer, or the name from the hosts file that
corresponds to the IP address of the printer.
• The "Remote Queue" name can be any name.
• Select the appropriate "Input Filter" from the list of available printers on your particular
build of Linux. Please consult your FAX/MFC user guide for the appropriate input filter. For
example, the Brother MFC-8700 and MFC-9650 would use the HP Laserjet Series II filer.
3. To make your settings work, select the "Resart lpd" option.
As soon as the lpd server restarts, you will be able to send printed documents from your server.
HP/UX Configuration
In the case of HP/UX, the sam program is used to set up the remote printer. The steps are as
follows:
1. Enter sam and select "Peripheral Devices" and then "Add Remote Printer" (not "Networked
printer").
2. Enter the following remote printer settings (the other settings do not matter):
• Line printer name (user-selectable)
• Remote system name (the print server name; it must match the name in the hosts file or use
the print server IP address)
• Remote printer queue (this can be any name)
• Remote Printer is on a BSD System (Yes)
TCP/IP PRINTING FOR UNIX
8–4
IBM RS/6000 AIX Configuration
The RS/6000 AIX operating system uses the smit program to set up the remote printer. The
procedure is as follows:
1. Enter smit and select "devices"
2. Select "printer/plotter"
3. Select "manage remote printer subsystem"
4. Select "client services"
5. Select "remote printer queues"
6. Select "add a remote queue"
7. Enter the following remote queue settings:
• Name of queue to add (user selectable)
• Activate the queue (Yes)
• Destination host (print server name; must match name in /etc/hosts file or use the print
server IP address)
• Name of queue on remote printer (this can be any name)
• Name of device to add (user selectable, for example: lp0)
Sun Solaris 2.x Configuration
Sun Solaris 2.x uses the lpsystem and lpadmin programs for remote printer configuration:
lpsystem -t bsd queue
lpadmin -p queue -sprnservername!prnserverservice
accept queue
enable queue
• Where queue is the name of the local print queue.
• prnservername is the name of the print server (must match the entry in the
/etc/hosts file).
• prnserverservice is any text.
If this is the first printer configured, you must also use the lpsched command prior to the
accept command.
As an alternative, you may use Printer Manager in the Admintool utility under Open Windows.
Select Edit, Add, and Add Access to Remote Printer. Then enter the print server name in the
format printservername!printserverservice as described above. Make sure
that the Printer Server OS is set to BSD (the default setting), and click Add.
Note that we recommend that you use the /etc/hosts file for the printer name rather than
NIS or other name services. Also note that due to a bug in the Sun lpd implementation on Solaris
2.4 and earlier releases, you may experience problems printing very long print jobs.
TCP/IP PRINTING FOR UNIX
8–5
SCO UNIX Configuration
SCO UNIX requires TCP/IP V1.2 or later to work with Brother print servers. You must first
configure the /etc/hosts and /etc/printcap files as described in step 2. Then run the
sysadmsh program, as follows:
1. Select Printers.
2. Select Configure.
3. Select Add.
4. Enter the name of the print queue you entered in the /etc/printcap file as the Printer
name,
5. Enter anything as the Comment, and Class name.
6. For the Use printer interface select “Existing”.
7. Press the F3 key to get a list of available interface, and select the desired one as the Name of
interface using the cursor keys (“Dumb” is a good choice).
8. Select “Direct” as the Connection.
9. Enter the desired Device name (/dev/lp generally works).
10. Select "Hardwired" as the Device.
11. Select “No” for the Required Banner field.
Other Non-Standard Configurations
DEC TCP/IP Servers for VMS(UCX)
You must run the sys$system:ucx:$lprsetup command, specify a printer name, and
then enter the print server IP address as the remote system name. Specify one of the print server
services (see beginning of this section for options) as the remote system printer name (accept the
defaults for other questions).
TGV’s Multinet
TGV's Multinet requires you to run the MULTINET CONFIGURE /PRINTERS
command, then use the ADD command to add a printer, specifying the print server IP address, a
protocol type of LPD, and one of the service options described at the beginning of this section as
the remote print queue.
Wollongong’s PATHWAY
First make sure that you have the Access option with lpd enabled. Then enter the print server name
and IP address in the TWG$TCP:[NETDIST.ETC]HOSTS file, run the LPGEN program, and
execute the command: add queue/rmachine=prnservername/rprinter=prnserverservice, where
queue is the name of the queue, prnservername is the print server name from the hosts file, and
prnserverservice is the print server service name.
TCP/IP PRINTING FOR UNIX
8–6
Other Systems
Other systems use similar programs to set up Print servers. Typically, these programs will ask for
the following information:
Requested information:
Remote printer
Remote host computer name
Remote host IP address
You should use:
Any name
Any name (must match the name in
the printcap file, if any)
—OR—In some cases, you may
enter the print server IP address here
IP address of print server.
Technical support specialists for these companies can usually answer configuration questions if
you provide them with the equivalent UNIX configuration information (tell them that the print
server looks like a remote UNIX host computer running the lpd line printer daemon).
If you have not created a spool directory for the Brother print server on your UNIX host computer,
you will need to do so now (the printer setup utilities in HP/UX, AIX, Solaris 2.xx, and other
systems will automatically create the spool directory). The lpd spool directory is usually located in
the /usr/spool directory (check with your system manager to see if the location is different for your
system). To create a new spool directory, use the mkdir command. For example, to create a spool
directory for the queue laser1, you would enter:
mkdir /usr/spool/lpd/laser1
On some systems it is also necessary to start the daemon. This is done on Berkeley-compatible
UNIX systems with the lpc start command as shown in the following example:
lpc start laser1
TCP/IP PRINTING FOR UNIX
8–7
IP Address Configuration
The final step before printing is to program the IP address information into the print server. There
are several ways of doing this:
You can use the front panel buttons to change the IP address, subnet mask and gateway addresses.
The print server also understands automatic IP address allocation methods such as DHCP or
BOOTP.
You can also use the Web Based Management or BRadmin32 Windows utilities to change the IP
address but only after a valid IP address has been initially stored using the numbering scheme for
your network. Refer to the Web Based Management section or follow the BRadmin32 procedure in
this section.
Changing the IP Address through the Front Panel
1.
Press the [Function/Menu] button to display the configuration menu.
2.
Select LAN: .
∗
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Select [1] SETUP TCP/IP menu
Select [2] IP ADDRESS and the current IP address will be displayed (Ex. 192.189.207.3).
Select [1] Change to change the IP address.
Enter the IP address and press [Set] to save the new address. ACCEPTED will be displayed.
You are returned to the SETUP TCP/IP menu.
Select [3] SUBNET MASK and the current Subnet Mask will be displayed (Ex.
255.255.255.0).
9. Select [1] Change to change the Subnet Mask.
10. Enter the new Subnet Mask and press [Set] to save the information. ACCEPTED will be
displayed.
11. Press [Stop] to exit the function mode.
Using DHCP to Configure the IP Address
The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is one of several automated mechanisms for IP
address allocation. If you have DHCP Server in your network (typically a Unix, Windows NT or
Novell Netware network) the print server will automatically obtains its IP address from DHCP
server and register its name with any RFC 1001 and 1002-compliant dynamic name services.
✒ Note If you do not want your print server configured via DHCP or BOOTP you must set the BOOT METHOD
to STATIC, this will prevent the print server from trying to obtain an IP address from any of these systems. To
change the BOOT METHOD, use the print front panel, Web browser or by using the BRAdmin32 application (the
default is STATIC).
∗
The LAN selection varies by model. Press the appropriate number based on the selections displayed on your
machine.
[1. FAX 2.LAN] press [2]
[1.FAX 2.PRINTER 3.LAN] press [3]
[1.FAX 2.PRINTER 3.VIDEO 4.LAN] press [4]
TCP/IP PRINTING FOR UNIX
8–8
Using BOOTP to Configure the IP Address
BOOTP is an alternative to DHCP. In order to use BOOTP to configure the IP address make sure
that BOOTP is installed and running on your host computer (it should appear in the /etc/services
file on your host as a real service; type man bootpd or refer to your system documentation for
information). BOOTP is usually started up via the /etc/inetd.conf file, so you may have to enable it
by removing the "#" in front of the bootp entry in that file. For example, a typical bootp entry in
the /etc/inetd.conf file would be:
#bootp dgram udp wait /usr/etc/bootpd bootpd -i
✒ Note
Depending on the system, this entry may be called “bootps” instead of “bootp”.
To enable BOOTP, simply use an editor to delete the "#" (if there is no "#", then BOOTP is
already enabled). Then, edit the BOOTP configuration file (usually /etc/bootptab) and enter the
name, network type (1 for Ethernet), Ethernet address and the IP address, subnet mask and
gateway of the print server. Unfortunately, the exact format for doing this is not standardized, so
you will have to refer to your system documentation to determine how to enter this information.
(Many UNIX systems also have template examples in the bootptab file that you can use for
reference.) Some examples of typical /etc/bootptab entries include:
BRF-310107 1
00:80:77:31:01:07 192.189.207.3
(and)
BRN-310107:ht=ethernet:ha=008077310107:\
ip=192.189.207.3:
Certain BOOTP host software implementations will not respond to BOOTP requests if you
havenot included a download filename in the configuration file; if this is the case, simply create a
null file on the host and specify the name of this file and its path in the configuration file.
TCP/IP PRINTING FOR UNIX
8–9
Changing the IP Address Using the BRAdmin32 Application
Start the BRAdmin32 utility from Windows 95/98
✒ Note
For information on the installation and features of BRAdmin32, refer to the BRAdmin32 section.
You may also notice an IPX/SPX option within BRAdmin32; this option is only available on
Brother’s network ready printers such as the HL-1270N, HL1660e, HL-2060, etc.
USING TCP/IP to Change the IP Address
1. Select TCP/IP filter in the left frame of the main window.
2. Select the “Device” menu and choose “Search Active Devices.”
3. From the device list, select the Brother print server that you wish to configure and double-click
it. You will be asked for a password. The default password is “access.”
✒ Note
You will see the NC-8000 appear as BRF_XXXXXX, where XXXXXX is the last six digits of the
MAC address. You can find the MAC address by printing the User Setting List. Refer to Chapter 5
for information on how to print the User Setting List.
4. Select the TCP/IP tab and set the IP address, Subnet mask and Gateway, as needed.
5. Click OK.
6. Click File then select Exit.
Before attempting to print
TCP/IP PRINTING FOR UNIX
8 – 10
Testing the IP address
It is very important to verify the connection between the host and the Brother print server. Using
the ping command with the IP address or name (if you have edited your HOSTS file or are using
Domain Name System). you have set. For example:
ping 192.189.207.3
You should get a reply back from the print server. If you get an error message, or no response, then
there is no connection. You will not be able to print if you cannot ping the print server. If this is the
case, verify that you have set up the host and print server correctly and that the physical
connections (e.g., the transceivers and cabling) are good. Refer to the Troubleshooting chapter for
additional information.
To print to the print server from UNIX, use the standard lpr command with the -P option to specify
the queue name. For example, to print the file TEST on the queue laser1, you would type:
lpr -Plaser1 TEST
Some AT&T-based UNIX systems, such as SCO and HP/UX, use the standard lp command instead
of lpr. In these cases, use the -d option instead of -P to specify the queue name as shown in the
following example:
lp -dlaser1 TEST
✒ Note
Please note that Unix systems are case sensitive. If you do not correctly enter the parameters in the
correct case, then your document may not print, or it may print incorrectly.
For non-UNIX systems such as VMS, the TCP/IP printing process is normally transparent, so you use the
same commands or procedures as you would for a local printer.
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